5 Brilliant Swag Bag Ideas for New Startups

Have you considered what you are going to give away to your event attendees?

If there is one ultimate truth, it’s that people love free stuff. Regardless of what product or service you’re promoting or selling, people always appreciate walking away with a SWAG bag.

If you don’t know what a SWAG bag is – it stands for “stuff we all get.” It’s event jargon for promotional freebies. However, coming up with good swag bag ideas isn’t always easy.

It’s important to go beyond the standard pens with your brand name on them. If you’re looking to come up with something that makes you stand out from the crowd, rather than offering free key chains, take note of these brilliant swag bag ideas.

Why Great Swag Bag Ideas Matter?

You might think that giving away free stuff doesn’t make business sense.

But swag bags can help to create a memorable experience for event attendees while also getting your name out there with branded items.

However, in order to achieve the desired effect, your swag bags need to be put together in the right way and contain some fantastic goods.

We’re here to help you brainstorm and inspire creativity with your swag bag ideas. Let’s take a look at the top 5 brilliant swag bag ideas for your new startup events.

1. Notebooks

Despite the unstoppable march of tablets, computers and smartphones, there is nothing like a good, old-fashioned notebook at a trade event.

In fact, research shows that if you write something down with a pen and paper, you’re more likely to retain it at a later stage.

And in times as busy as these, people are endlessly needing to scribble down “to do lists” and thoughts.

At trade events, people are attending workshops, talks and gatherings all the time. Notebooks are a great place to jot down brief questions and lines of inquiry.

If your budget can afford it, you should consider adding your logo on the front of the notebook.

This way everyone who has encountered you at the event will be displaying your logo and spreading your message as they walk around. This is excellent marketing.

And if you’re looking at the premium swag bag option, you may consider the Moleskine’s Evernote notebook edition. This option allows your guests to integrate their notes with Evernote’s note-taking app on a smartphone.

2. Re-useable Bottles

Re-usable plastic bottles are great for swag bags because they are not expensive and they are usually very popular among event goers too!

If you want to present yourself as an eco-friendly and sustainable company or you’re at a green event, then re-usable bottles certainly show off your green credentials.

Better yet, attending an event can be thirsty work, so giving attendees somewhere to keep their water and stay hydrated will surely be appreciated.

It’s also possible to brand a re-usable bottle with witty slogans or your company logo too. Branded products are always great giveaways to promote your start-up.

3. USB Adapters and Chargers

The kind of people who attend trade events are often regularly on the road or traveling.

While traveling around, there is always the worry that your smartphone may run out of battery or your laptop might die. Because of this, USB chargers are always a useful tool to have lying around.

Instead of providing people with something useless that they will probably never use or will throw away as soon as they’ve left the event, a better option is to offer useful chargers or adapters. By doing this, you can be sure they’ll come in handy.

However, when choosing which type of charger or adapter to go with, it’s best to opt for a product that is versatile and can be used with any device.

Of course, that includes Apple products that require particular adapters and chargers. However, this can be easier said than done!

4. Umbrellas

Everyone has experienced being caught in the rain without an umbrella. Because of this attendees will always appreciate a freebie, branded umbrella.

If your event happens to take place on a rainy day, you’ll be the most popular start-up around if you are giving away swag bags with umbrellas!

Free umbrellas symbolize that your company is prepared for the unexpected. That’s a positive image to convey for backers and customers.

Have you ever heard anyone say, “I have too many umbrellas?” No, but that’s because you really can’t have too many. Especially if you’re from a rainy place.

And again, if you can afford to print your logo on the umbrellas, even people in high-rise buildings will get to know your brand and message.

5. Interesting Snacks and Food

It’s a well-known fact that there’s nothing that attracts people more than delicious free food. At events and conferences, people are often hungry and always on the lookout for a tasty snack.

However, just giving away average food isn’t going to do anything more than ease someone’s appetite. You should provide people with food that starts off conversations about your start-up or offers something unique.

Although they won’t last long, food items have the ability to attract people and get them talking about your brand. Try to come up with snacks and food items that people will connect with your business, making them want to find out more.

Final Thoughts

These are the top swag bag ideas that can help you create a unique goody bag to get people talking about your brand and leaving you with a smile.

It doesn’t matter what your budget is, swag bags are an investment in the future of your start-up. And there are always some freebies that you can afford to give away.

When considering what to include in your swag bag, think about the target audience and who’s attending the event. What type of goodies would get them talking about you? What would they find useful to have at the event?

These swag bag ideas will make sure you make the event absolutely memorable for your attendees.